1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydrokinetic power generating turbines. In particular, the present invention relates to multidirectional hydrokinetic power generating turbines that include adjustable ducting and stators.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional hydropower systems have employed a variety of devices to attain optimal usage of fluid flow. Some hydropower systems currently include ducts with wide inputs and a variety of outputs to capture the maximum amount of flow channeled to the impellers situated in a current. Other hydropower systems employ less expansive ducting in hopes of building head so that a maximum amount of fluid can be channeled through the hydropower system in order to attain a maximum amount of energy. Still other hydropower systems include various ducts, some of which induce and create various flow regimes to create power. Often hydropower systems require customized ducting to attain maximum efficiency in the situational environment in which they are placed. For example a river which dispels over 10,000 gallons per minute will most likely employ ducting which is designed to encompass a different amount of water than a river which dispels less than 100 gallons per minute. When duct sizes are not modified, optimal efficiency is attained by employing impellers, rotors, and stators along various positions within the ducts. Some hydropower systems use a combination of ducting shape and impeller position in hopes of achieving a maximum power input. Nonetheless, modifications to ducting and impellers must be made to accommodate a wide variety of environment specific needs.
When hydropower systems employ the necessary modifications to ducting and impellers to accommodate natural and manmade settings, including as rivers, streams, and dams, they often require movement and repositioning over time because of changes in flow, alterations in currents, and the like. Some times, ducts need to be removed and relocated to alternative positions because the flow rate attained no longer achieves maximum efficiency. Moving and repositioning ducts as well as impellers to attain optimal efficiency is both expensive and labor intensive.
Thus there is a need for multidirectional hydrokinetic power generating turbine, that adjusts to a variety of flow rates.
Although prior art systems represent great strides in the area of turbine generation, many shortcomings remain.